This course was an experiment in which I tried guide beginning students to learn and practise some fundamental aspects of piano playing without the need to learn to read music notation. I can't say that I fully endorse this course any more. There are certain aspects of it that I think people have found confusing, and the progression of difficulty is probably not as well suited to a beginner as I would have liked. However, I have decided to keep it available for now on the off chance that someone finds it interesting of finds some value in it.
The music in this lesson is for Cor Anglais and Piano. Your part in the music will be to play a single repeated note in a steady rhythmic pattern. The goal of this lesson, as the title suggests, is to help you practise keeping a steady beat in time with the music.
Step 1. The first step is to listen to the lesson music.
Step 2. Next, listen to a short version of the pattern you will be playing.
Step 3. In this audio track you will notice several percussion instruments. These percussion instruments are each marking out something particular in the pattern. Listen to the track several times and see if you can work out what purpose each of the percussion instruments is serving.
The next step is to find the note being played on the piano. I recommend trying to do this by ear first, but if you need help you can watch the lesson video above.
Once you have found the note, play along to the percussion accompaniment. (I recommend playing this several times before moving on to the next step.)
Step 4. When you are comfortable playing the pattern, the next step is to listen to the same pattern, but this time accompanied by another piano, instead of percussion.
Step 5. It may be more difficult to hear your part in this example since it is accompanied by the same instrument you are playing on, but try to listen carefully to see if you can hear the note you have been playing. Often in these cases it is easier to notice when something is missing than when it is there. Listen to the accompaniment track now and see if you can notice the difference, then play the pattern along with this accompaniment.
Step 6. Next you will listen to the lesson music played without the Cor Anglais. Again, try to hear the pattern note as it is played with the other piano.
Step 7. When you are feeling familiar enough with this version of the lesson music, play along with its accompaniment.
Step 8. And finally, when you are ready, play along with the full version of the lesson music.